The present invention relates generally to a coaxial connector and more particularly to a tooless coaxial connector for a coaxial cable.
Prior art coaxial connectors require a coaxial cable to be prepared by exposing the center conductor and the outer conductor. In addition, after the cable is inserted into the connector a special compression tool must be used to then attach the connector to the cable.
Typical coaxial cables have a center conductor which is surrounded by a dielectric layer usually made of a foam material. Covering the dielectric layer is a metallic foil coating which is then surrounded by a metallic braid. The braid is then covered by an outer jacket made of an insulating material. A problem with current coaxial connectors is that in order to properly attach the connector to the cable, the cable end must be stripped and prepared. Specifically, the outer conductor, namely, the foil, and the center conductor must be exposed so that the coaxial connector can make an electrical connection with the two parts. In addition, the braid surrounding the foil must be folded back over the outer jacket so that the connector can properly attach to the foil and braid. The coaxial cable is then inserted into the connector. The final step in assembling the connector is crimping the connector over the outer jacket of the cable to hold it in place.
A problem associated with current coaxial connectors is that the steps of stripping the cable end are time consuming and require some training to do properly. In addition, the coaxial connector requires the use of a specialized crimping tool which increases the time and expense of using the coaxial connector.
There exists a need for a coaxial connector that eliminates the extensive preparation time needed to prepare the coaxial cable for use with the coaxial connector. There is also a need for a connector that can be attached and removed from the coaxial cable without the use of any specialized tool.
Finally, there exists a need for a coaxial connector that can be used by a person that does not require extensive training.